Magnetism According to Francis Barrett

Francis Barrett was an English occultist best known for his book The Magus (1801), a foundational text that synthesized alchemy, astrology, and Hermetic philosophy.

Drawing from thinkers like Paracelsus and Van Helmont, Barrett viewed magnetism not just as a physical force but as a universal principle connecting all life. For occult students, his ideas offer a gateway to understanding hidden relationships in nature — a core theme in magical practice.

His main idea was that magnetism is a cosmic “glue” linking all things, even across vast distances. Barrett describes how wine ferments in sync with flowering vines miles away, and ale mirrors barley’s growth cycles. These phenomena suggest a hidden force transcending physical limits.

Sympathy & Antipathy: The Loves and Hates of Nature

Barret explains that everything has natural attractions (sympathy) or repulsions (antipathy).

For example, a pregnant woman’s craving for cherries leaves a mark on her child, reflecting a bond between imagination and matter. Also, wine reacts only to its own vine’s bloom, not other plants. In rituals, a magician can use sympathetic links (e.g., a lock of hair for a person) to amplify magick. In the same way, magicians should avoid antipathetic items (e.g., iron near delicate spells).

The Universal Spirit

A divine life force (prima materia or “universal spirit”) animates all creation. Barrett’s view states that this spirit predates stars and planets, making it the source of magnetism. It’s not “god” but a neutral energy, like electricity. Some magicians can meditate on interconnectedness by visualizing this spirit as a golden thread tying them to trees, animals, and stars.

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